Image Processing Apparatus and Image Processing Method

1. An image processing apparatus processing image data, comprising: an authenticating unit that authenticates a user, and invalidates an authentication of the user upon the user selecting an invalidation key on a setting screen; a limiting unit that limits a range of use of the image processing apparatus according to a level of the authentication made by the authenticating unit; an authorizing unit that authorizes execution of a process within the range of use limited by the limiting unit; and an instructing unit that starts executing the process at a point that the authentication of the user is invalidated by the authenticating unit.

2. The image processing apparatus as defined in claim 1 , in which the authenticating unit further providing a determining unit that determines an authentication continuation period after the authentication of the user.

3. The image processing apparatus as defined in claim 2 , wherein the authentication continuation period determined by the determining unit can be invalidated at any desired time.

4. The image processing apparatus as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a guide unit that puts out a guide display prompting invalidation of the authentication after image data processing has been executed.

5. The image processing apparatus as defined in claim 1 , further comprising: a unit that sets information of a contact address; and a communication unit that sends various messages to the contact address, wherein the communication unit sends a message informing of invalidation of the authentication of the user to the contact address, when detecting authentication of the user for a time longer than a given time after execution of image data processing.

6. The image processing apparatus as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a nullifying unit that nullifies image data processed completely when image data processing started by the instructing unit has been executed completely.

7. An image processing method for an image processing apparatus processing image data, comprising the steps of: authenticating a user; limiting a range of use of the image processing apparatus according to a level of authentication that is made; authorizing execution of a process within the limited range of use of the image processing apparatus; invalidating the authentication of the user upon the user selecting an invalidation key on a setting screen; and starting execution of the process at a point that the authentication of the user is invalidated.